There’s the rub
Chai Pani Restaurant Group has closed its Spicewalla store in downtown Charleston, but owner Meherwan Irani isn’t ruling out a return to the city.
“We love Charleston,” Irani said. “We keep thinking at some point we’ll be ready to open a Chai Pani or Botiwalla there.”
When Irani and his wife, Molly, opened the first Chai Pani in Asheville in 2009, the Indian street food shop was the entirety of their company. They’ve since opened another Chai Pani in Decatur, along with Botiwalla locations in Asheville, Charlotte, and Atlanta, and launched a line of spices, showcased at the brand’s flagship store in Asheville’s Grove Arcade.
Charleston was an obvious choice for a second Spicewalla location, Irani said when the shop opened on John Street in July 2024, citing tourist traffic and longstanding industry connections. But visitors who hadn’t already bumped up against the restaurant group in their travels weren’t primed to buy.
“What helps the Asheville location is we have such a large presence here,” Irani said. “A lot of folks put two and two together,” and purchase the powders and blends they need to replicate memorable meals at Chai Pani or Botiwalla.
By contrast, “in Charleston, we were depending on discovery,” he continued. “And if you’re not on the main strip, that takes a lot of time to build.”
After Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina in October 2024, damaging Spicewalla’s factory and curtailing production at the start of the holiday shopping season, Irani decided the Charleston store’s time was up. The shop closed on March 2.
Still, Irani hasn’t soured on retail. “As much as people shop online, I love the idea of getting inspired by seeing all the items in a store,” he said. Going forward, though, the company is more likely to open spice shops in cities where it already runs a restaurant. For example, Chai Pani last year announced a new location in Washington D.C., where Irani can envision one day putting a Spicewalla.
Spicewalla spices can still be purchased online (I especially enjoy cooking with Billy D’s Fried Chicken Spice blend, created in collaboration with chef William Dissen of The Marketplace in Asheville), but if you choose to keep your spice cabinet shopping local, Charleston Spice Company, Bombay Bazaar Indian Grocery Store, and H&L Asian Market are all reliable Lowcountry sources for a variety of spices and blends.
Additional reporting by Hanna Raskin
Soft news
Soft shell crab salad with grilled lemon vinaigrette at Gabrielle/ Provided
It’s the season for Charleston area chefs to find new ways of preparing soft shell crabs. In hopes of luring the many Lowcountry diners determined to get their fill of the springtime delicacy, restaurants are stocking up on milk buns, Cajun remoulade, fennel, and every conceivable spice. Our recommendation? Read The Food Section’s oral history of the annual frenzy.
Bringing it home
The Florence (S.C.) Wine & Food Festival, which has been growing steadily since its post-lockdown return, returned this past weekend. While previous editions of the extravaganza were headlined by visiting chefs, local talent emerged as the star of this year’s program.
For the first time, Columbia bartenders who applied to compete in the festival’s cocktail contest were turned away because so many Florence-based drinks slingers wanted to participate. (Town Hall took home the top prize with a carrot-based concoction.) And the festival’s signature sit-down dinner celebrated the Pee Dee’s own Rodney Scott, making his Florence Wine & Food debut.
Florence Wine & Food Festival’s popular Sip & Savor Wine Stroll features wine tastings at various small businesses, including McCants Lingerie; New York City’s The Soto Brothers were among the out-of-town chefs serving guests at the festival’s Grand Tasting/ Photos by Hanna Raskin
Scott also conducted a demo of whole hog cooking techniques. Noticing the number of aspiring young chefs in the crowd, he decided to wear his James Beard Foundation medal for the presentation.
“I was just going to show it,” he said later, but felt it was important for fellow South Carolinians to see what they could achieve. In addition to winning the Beard award for Outstanding Chef (Southeast) in 2018, the pitmaster who started out at his family’s barbecue operation in Hemingway now has five restaurants across the country bearing his name, with another planned for Miami.
Additional reporting by Hanna Raskin
Second chance
Juneteenth of the Pee Dee was first held in 2024/ Photos provided by Terica Gary
If you didn’t catch the train to the recent fun in Florence, consider marking your calendar for the second annual Juneteenth Fest of the Pee Dee. Organized by BlaCoLive, a cooperative of Black creatives, the event is planned for June 7 and June 19; follow the Fest on Instagram for schedule updates and location information.
Additional reporting by Hanna Raskin
The Bread Line
In sourdough news, sisters Paula and Sam Kramer of Baguette Magic carry daily loaves in addition to their wide selection of sweets and coffee drinks, and they’ll even slice it for you.
You can find sourdough at both their West Ashley and Folly Road locations, but if you’re making a beeline for bread in the afternoon, call ahead to make sure they still have it. The stores close at 2 p.m.
Photo provided by Baguette Magic
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